Vaccine shortage to affect UNCP

By Colleen Griffiths
News Editor

The flu vaccination shortage this year has caused a shift in priority for those who receive the vaccine, with college students falling behind those deemed at a higher risk for contracting influenza.

Awareness of the possibility of a shortage in the flu vaccine began in late August, when Chiron Corporation, who is responsible for manufacturing half of the United State’s vaccine supply, notified its American counterparts that problems at the corporation could create a slight shortage in the amount of vaccinations produced. American health officials estimated that the shortage would result in a drop of 10 percent of the supply, or 4 to 8 million doses, according to cnn.com.

Britain’s Department of Health suspended the production of the flu vaccine at Chiron when it discovered that 4 million doses had been tainted with serratia marcescens. According to Houston Medical School, serratia marcescens has antibiotic resistance properties, and can cause urinary tract infections, wound infections and pneumonia. The Food and Drug Administration agreed with the British department’s decision to stop the production of the vaccine, though the suspension cut the U.S. supply in half.

Chiron, the U.S.’s largest vaccine provider, had been expected to produce 48 million doses of the influenza vaccine. Around the United States, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is asking people within the ages 5 to 49 to forego their regular flu shot so that others, who are more likely to get sick, such as infants and senior citizens, can be protected against the virus.

At UNCP, ASD Healthcare made a contract with the Minnesota Multi-State Contracting Alliance for Pharmacy for the 2004-2005 school year to provide the campus with fluvirin, the influenza vaccine. Normally UNCP receives about 100 doses of the vaccine. This year, UNCP’s shipment was canceled, according to Office Assist-ant from Student Health Services Judith Lee. Further inquiries made by SHS indicates that UNCP will not be able to buy fluvirin for this year’s flu season.

Director of Student Health Services Cora Bullard said the severity of the flu season at UNCP varies from year to year.

“A couple of years ago we did have a large number or students coming in with flu symptoms,” Bullard said. “We never really know how it will affect us from year to year.”

Bullard suggests that students with health problems go to their local health department or physician to receive the vaccination. Other students can protect themselves from getting the flu by washing their hands with hot water and soap after using the restroom and before eating.

“Cover coughs and sneezes. Avoid someone with close contact with the flu,” said Bullard.

Tommy G. Thompson, secretary of health and human services, said the United States had “healthy supplies” of vaccines and anti-flu drugs. MedImmune makes a nasal flu vaccine for people who do not need flu shots, and Thompson advises people to use this medicine instead of getting a flu shot.

According to The New York Times, MedImmune plans to make one million more doses of its vaccine this year.

Other companies, such as Aventis Pasteur, are providing more vaccines to make up for the loss of the contaminated doses. Aventis expects to make 58 million doses of flu vaccine for the United States.